For those interested in the circumstances of the previous bites, please see this link to my older thread:
http://basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=1624
Bite No. 10 occurred when I wasn't around. I had gone on a short trip to the airport to pick up my brother, sisinlaw and niece. Tucker was at home with my parents who Tucker knows and have never shown aggression towards and KNOW about Tucker and how he has to be treated. Enter stepbrother. My SB doesn't know Tucker that well but knows that he bites or has bitten. Anyway, long story short, Jeremy left and Tucker tried to leave with him and Jeremy pushed Tucker back. Chomp!
Bite No. 11 was described earlier in this thread.
Some of your posts have made me feel like I am mismanaging my dog, but I really don't feel that way. Owning a Basenji involves just as much of a learning curve as raising a child, methinks. Bite 1 happens, you do what you need to do to prevent Bite 2. Bite 2 happens and involves different circumstances and you do what you have to do to avoid Bite 3. So on, and so on. I didn't raise this Basenji, I adopted him. Don't lose sight of that. Aside from what I am told, that's all of know of his previous 4 years. Think about adopting a 21 year old young adult. Trainable, yes, but to what extent? In another year, Tucker will by my age equivelent. I can assure you that I'M not changing my ways! And I have the ability to reason.
Tucker has this radar, I've noticed. He can see a dog 100ft away and I can look at Tucker and already have a good idea if Tucker will bite that dog once Tucker sees him/her. MOST people I encounter have dogs. How is one to know if it's the dog or the person that Tucker doesn't like until they come face to face? Perhaps the face to face, when unnecessary, is best avoided. The only way to be 100% sure that Tucker isn't into 'protect mode' would be to keep him away from the things that OBVIOUSLY make him lash out.
As for my management, I've been keeping Tucker away from people for a long time, and, lo and behold, no incidents AND he's been a lot more calm at home. He stopped peeing all over the place, doesn't bit my friends as they walk in the door (only happened once as described in above referenced thread), and he has even made great progress with getting in people's face while they are trying to eat (we oftentimes eat in front of the TV with food close to Tucker reach). The passerby at the beach was a lapse on my part, admittedly, but I simply don't have eyes on every side of my head. If you were there, you would understand because I told the people with me to keep their eye on him and to help me be aware of anyone that tried to approach. THAT person, the one I missed, didn't get bit and Tucker obviously didn't feel the need to be protective in that given situation. The girl that got bit this past Sunday was one of the first times I've tried to reintegrate socialization so you can imagine my frustration. Typically the owners don't try to pet him, they just want to dogs to say hello. At this point, more people have been bitten than dogs, but all have been separate (people get bit when no dogs are around, dogs get bit when people don't interact with Tucker at my instruction). Most people think a dog can take care of hisself as long as one is not massively bigger than the other. The Sunday incident was the FIRST time tucker has managed to sniff a dog and not bit him, and then bite the Owner who so longed to befriend Tucker. Thinking back, there were two girls and a dog. Tucker prolly saw we were outnumbered from the start and I didn't even think about that at the time. It's these things that simetimes escape me and afterwards, I want to kick myself in the a$$.
But anyway… I'm getting all defensive and probably have no reason to... I guess I feel like Tucker.
PS (I just found out the bulk of Tucker's past after this last bite. I had asked before, but the information about what happened PRIOR to his previous Owner was never disclosed to me. His tail was the only evidence I had that aduse was likely for him at a young age. 3 or 4 rapid succession foster homes would indicate early discipline problems or a bunch of idiot dog owners who know nothing of basenjis except that they are darn cute!...probably the latter. Most likely a pet store dog on top of all that.)